The Pittsburgh Steelers are 3-0 with anybody not named Ben Roethlisberger for the first time since 2020, currently getting things done with Justin Fields as their quarterback. I suspect that before long the Steelers will name him the outright starter provided he continues to play well. While getting out to 2-0 calmed some nerves, Sunday’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers was different.
“In my opinion, if I gave an overall summary of the game, I would say [it] was a statement game”, that former Steelers quarterback, Roethlisberger, said of the team on his Footbahlin podcast. “The Chargers came in, a good football team, well-coached, physical, one of the top-ranked defenses, a really good offensive line, really good running game. They haven’t had to use [Justin] Herbert yet”.
The Steelers recorded their first two-score victory of the season, winning 20-10, by dominating the fourth quarter. They outscored the Chargers 10-0 in the final frame, Fields capping things with a 55-yard touchdown. And then they used the run game, primarily through Najee Harris, to grind things to a halt. All along the way, the defense stepped up, shutting the Chargers down in the end.
Granted, Herbert missed most of the second half for the Chargers, and he came into the game injured. For many, they will still put an asterisk on this otherwise quality victory. But Los Angeles also came into the game with a top defense and running game. The Steelers scored their most points against that defense and could have scored more, with victory formation at the 1. Meanwhile, they held the Chargers to just 61 rushing yards on 20 attempts.
Were it not for a blown-coverage touchdown for Los Angeles in the first quarter, I’m not sure the Steelers would have ever even had to sweat in this game. While they were clearly stronger in the second half, they appeared to be the better team throughout.
“This was a statement game”, Roethlisberger reiterated. “We out-physicaled them”. He also pointed out the Steelers holding the Chargers to minus-five offensive yards in the second half, calling it “mind-blowing”.
The Steelers certainly have one of the very best defenses in the NFL, with major talent at every level. You can start with T.J. Watt off the edge, but you can’t ignore Minkah Fitzpatrick at safety. And before you even worry about him, you could have Cameron Heyward running your center back into your quarterback.
That’s not even mentioning Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson, Patrick Queen and Alex Highsmith, and the list goes on. Meanwhile, the offense is picking up steam with each passing week, showing positive signs for the future.
The Steelers are still trying to get their desired offensive line on the field, with injuries scuttling their plans. Troy Fautanu may not play again this season, and Isaac Seumalo is still not practicing. But Zach Frazier is looking like a stud, and James Daniels and Dan Moore Jr. are putting in the work. Broderick Jones had a nice bounce-back showing as well.
And I haven’t even mentioned the skill players minus Harris and Fields. George Pickens does George Pickens things every week, even if they don’t always count. And we saw flashes from other receivers on Sunday, and Pat Freiermuth is just waiting for a bigger role. This is a good team with talent and a lot of potential. They are playing their brand of football more and more each week. But how far can they take it?
